TENDING THE SPARK
Tending Your Grief and Sparking Your Joy with Sherry Hoffman
GRIEF TENDING & JOY SPARKING
Navigating Life After Loss - Gentle Support in Finding Your Joy Again
Grief is such a unique journey and it will take you places you never dreamed of. I thought that I could will it away, pretend I was better, and live my life like I hadn't just lost my beloved partner and best friend at the age of 55. Maybe if I could just be positive and strong, it wouldn’t hurt so much. It took me over two years to stop resisting my sadness, and to lean into my grief. It was then I discovered what I was meant to glean from this devastating loss.
American author, mythologist, and storyteller, Micheal Meade, says best what was happening for me.
“We may be closest to hearing the call when we feel most alone or in trouble, for genius hides behind the wound and one of the greatest wounds in life is to not know who we are intended to be or what we are supposed to serve in life.”
― Michael Meade, The Genius Myth
And out of that noticing came the question, and the deeper call. What am I meant to do with this experience? I now felt I could empathize with and support those dealing with deep grief, in a way I could not have done before losing my partner.
Yet, despite extensive graduate work in counseling, training as a a visionary life coach and hypnotherapist, and volunteering as a sexual assault advocate and domestic violence crisis line responder, I was not yet fully ready to share my gifts as a grief worker. I decided to formally immerse myself in learning the grief process with experts, and to understand more concretely the proven ways to support those experiencing grief and loss.
In January 2020 I took on my first client, and subsequently completed my training with the Institute of Professional Grief Coaching. I am qualified both by way of formal studies and life experience to serve as your Grief Tender.
Tending the Spark is my offering to you, my community, and the world at large, to gently and lovingly support you during the most difficult times in your life. And, to join you, when you are ready, in fanning your spark into a growing flame of aliveness - cultivating your joy and curiosity, and reclaiming your sense of excitement and meaningfulness in this present moment.
This is my invitation: You do not need to do this grief journey alone; I am here to care for and accompany you. I am willing and able to tend your precious spark of hope, helping you uncover your strength, and renew your desire and curiosity. Why? So, you can live your life to the fullest each and every day
MORE ABOUT ME
Educational Background and Training
- Certified Relationship Coach - IAP Career College - August 2021
- Institute of Professional Grief Coaching LLC 2020
- Leader/Facilitator - Juicy Healing Circle 2020 - Present
- Accountability & Repair Liaison - Speak Out for Safety A Forum for Dance Community 2018-2019
- Established the Good Medicine Women's Circle 2016 - Present
- NVC Foundational Training 2013
- Compassionate Listening Project 2012
- Level 1 - Bridging the Couples Chasm - Gottman Therapy 2010
- Holistic Peer Counseling Systems - Certified 2010
- Living Your Vision Coach Training 2009
- Certified Hypnotherapist WA 2008
- NLP Foundations - Linda Gail Campbell - NLP Pacific 2007
Volunteer Work
- Sexual Assault Advocate Providence Health - Snohomish County
- Eastside Domestic Violence Crisis Line - King County
Education
Loyola University of Chicago
Master's Program Counseling and Higher Education 1984-86
Southeast Missouri State University
BS in Mass Communications with minors in Psychology & Social Work 1980 - 1984
TEACHERS
Gratitude for these Wise Humans
- Laurence Cole & Nala Walla - Community Grief Lodge
- Thérèse Charvet & Tere Carranza - Sacred Groves Wailing Lodge
- Francis Weller - Author and Founder of WisdomBridge
- Stephen Jenkinson - Author "Die Wise" and Focus of "Griefwalker"
- Malidoma Somé - Author "Ritual: Power, Healing and Community"
- Sobonfu Somé - Author "Falling Out of Grace"
- Aaron Johnson & Porsha Beed - Founders - Holistic Resistance & Grief to Action Camp
- Martín Prechtel - Author "The Smell of Rain on Dust"
- Joanna Macy - "The Work That Reconnects"
- Rick Gossett - Cross Cultural Shamanic Practitioner
- Maryann Schumacher - Rebirthing Breathworker and Healer
- Starfeather Marcy - Spiritual Creative and Facilitator
- Adrian Wolf - Spiritual Explorer and Cosmic Thinker
- Dora Carpenter - Author "From Grief to Gratitude"
- David Gruenewald - Director Palliative Care - VA Hospital Seattle
* Special thanks to some of the other amazing influencers in my life: Grace Bell, Jon Mark, Carlyle Miller, Pamela Ware, Bobbi Orlando, Heronemo Sheppard, Jannae Rice, Susanne Marie, Brian Parks, Raven Hutchinson, Lacey Reuter, James Massey and Deanna Spada.